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Old 03-02-2009
scottyt scottyt is offline
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to simplify what hartley said, a gfi compares the amount of amps going out thru the hot wire and back in thru the neutral. if there is over 5 milli amps difference it shuts off. the idea is if you contact the hot and a ground you allow some voltage to not go back thru the neutral. now getting between the hot a neutral it wont do a thing. they cost about 10 bucks each, so like hartley said if you dont have a bunch just changing each maybe easier. but you need to look at the box the receptacle is in, it may not be big enough.

you could add one at the panel to protect all outlets, but thats an over kill, personally i would just do the ones at the sinks. i dont have any on my boat and probably wont install them either. my reasoning is i dont use shore power much, and everything i would use has a ground pin on the plug so any shorts will trip the breaker. also my sink is plastic, there is no real metal to grab on my boat so there is no real way to get a shock. BTW i am a master electrician

but to each his own, dont take my word as the way to do your boat
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